Fernão Nunes

Fernão Nunes, also known as Fernao Nuniz, was a Portuguese-Jewish traveler, chronicler and horse trader who spent three years in Vijayanagara, the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the time period 1535-1537. His writings have brought to light many interesting details about Vijayanagara at that time,^[1] including construction of massive fortification works, watch towers and security walls. From his notes it is known that the expansion of the imperial capital limits happened during the reign of emperors Bukka Raya II and Deva Raya I.^{[citation needed]}

Fernão Nunes
Born	1500 CE
Died	1550 (aged 49–50)
Nationality	Portuguese
Occupation(s)	traveler, chronicler and horse trader
Years active	1535 - 1537
Known for	Writings on the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire

Once Nunes fled the inquisition to Constantinople in the Ottoman Empire, where he openly practiced his Judaism.^[2]

Nunes' brother was one Jacob Curiel of Coimbra, alias Duarte Nunes, founder of the Curiel family that would come to greatly influence European trade and diplomacy.^[3] Jacob and Fernão frequently wrote letters to each other.^[2]

Notes

1. Robert Sewell, Fernão Nunes, Domingos Paes, "A forgotten empire: Vijayanagar; a contribution to the history of India" (Includes a translation of "Chronica dos reis de Bisnaga," from Domingos Paes and Fernao Nuniz from 1520 and 1535 respectively), Adamant Media Corporation, 1982, ISBN 0-543-92588-9
2. Israel, Jonathan (1990-01-01). Empires and Entrepots: Dutch, the Spanish Monarchy and the Jews, 1585-1713. A&C Black. ISBN 978-1-85285-022-7.
3. ISRAEL, JONATHAN I. (1987). "Duarte Nunes da Costa (Jacob Curiel), of Hamburg, Sephardi Nobleman and Communal Leader (1585-1664)". Studia Rosenthaliana. 21 (1): 14–34. ISSN 0039-3347. JSTOR 41481641.

References

• K.A. Nilakanta Sastry, History of South India, From Prehistoric times to fall of Vijayanagar, 1955, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002) ISBN 0-19-560686-8
• Robert Sewell, Fernão Nunes, Domingos Paes, "A forgotten empire: Vijayanagar; a contribution to the history of India" (Includes a translation of "Chronica dos reis de Bisnaga," from Domingos Paes and Fernao Nuniz from 1520 and 1535 respectively), Adamant Media Corporation, 1982, ISBN 0-543-92588-9
• Radhakamal Mukerjee, "A history of Indian civilization", Hind Kitabs, 1958 (refere Paes)
• H. V. Sreenivasa Murthy, R. Ramakrishnan, "A history of Karnataka, from the earliest times to the present day", S. Chand, 1977

External links

• Works by Fernão Nunes at Project Gutenberg
• Works by or about Fernão Nunes at the Internet Archive